Love Grows In The Dark

by Eli Lowe

  Episode 9

  Kaith's P. O. V “Where the hell you were?” I yelled as soon as I stopped the bike in the middle of the road with a sudden break, resulting in the wheels to skid a bit, while making some piercing noise at the middle of the silent night. And when I saw that the great Sam was walking on a different road which doesn't take her anywhere near to home at all, I frowned even more. Yes, since I had realised that Sam didn't come back home from her work, I was worried like hell. And when I called her to know where she was, you know what she did? She hung up on me....!!! Without even saying where she was!! Why she wasn't home yet? At this late hour? She didn't even have her bike tonight. What if she got into some kind of danger? Even though she is strong, but fighting alone against many would definitely be a tough challenge for her, let alone the fact that it would be a silly act to do as well. Only goddess knows, for how long I was looking for her like a mad man, anywhere and everywhere, right after she chose to cut my call without saying her whereabouts. I could even bet, that there was surely no road left in this entire town that these wheels didn't cross, in the last few hours. And at last, I found her in the middle of nowhere while she was busy wandering around in the dark? Seriously? “Do you know, for how long I was looking for you? Do you have any idea how worried I was when you dared to cut my call? Do you know how dangerous it is to roam around at this late hour?” I kept yelling whatever came to my mind without a break. Yes, I was indeed angry. My mood was no better in the first place due to the bike incident and now she ended up giving me panic attacks. So, obviously, I am not wrong to act like such. Right? The silent night wasn't silent anymore, at least where we were standing. “Do you know how silly you are?” I was about to say 'yes' to her question unconsciously, just when I realized what she had asked actually. To fool me? No, no, no, don't you dare to make fun of me now. That won't lessen any of the lectures that you have to get for your stupidity. But even before I could say that, I was distracted by a giggle which was not Sam's of course. It was giggle like a sweet melody. Only then I had realized that Sam was not alone, which I did fail to notice earlier. Yes, I was so occupied with scolding Sam for her wrongdoings, that my eyes couldn't see the girl who was standing beside her all along and also watched me to yell at Sam like a stupid. She did watch me embarrassing myself. Everything went blank in my head for some moments as my gaze got fixed on her unknowingly. Under the dim light that was coming only from the headlight of the bike only to take away the darkness, at least for some moment, the first thing about the yet unknown girl which caught my attention and successfully took my breaths away in an instant, was her dimples. They were absolutely gorgeous. I felt my heartbeats getting louder and louder. As if it was trying to tell me something which I was yet to understand. But, Even then I wondered that I never saw her before. How come Sam knows her? Who is she? And what is she doing outside this late at night, with Sam? So many questions kept popping up in my mind, while I totally forgot that I was standing before them just like some statue without any words, while only my eyes kept shifting from Sam to the girl and again to Sam. Of course, I was left clueless all of a sudden. My confidence betrayed me at the very moment when I was desperately looking for it. My mind was telling me to be cautious whereas my heart was behaving like some crazy, who didn't even want to listen to me. But, unfortunately, I became mute. “Okay!!. I think you are done with all your yelling for tonight. As I can see you have no more words to form out of your once nonstop mouth, so, wait here,... I am coming back soon.” As if Sam's words had pulled me out of some magical trap that I kept drowning deep within, without my knowledge. And the strange thing was, it even felt good in some way. What's happening? As if even the wind around us had stopped to listen to her melodic voice, “Oh, no Sam. It's just two more houses to get to my place. See, we are almost there, and you can even see me getting inside, from this spot. So don't worry, I can take care of myself from here. You go with your friend. It is indeed late.” When Sam was about to leave from my sight once again to send her home maybe, that dimple girl whose name I don't know yet, stopped her from doing so, causing Sam to frown at me for no reason. “Still, let me send you home, at least when we came all this way, a little more won't harm.” Sam did reply to her but keeping her stern eyes at me instead, as if she was throwing daggers to kill me for my great sin. It didn't take time for me to realise that it was my queue to apologize for barging in, out of the blue. So without further delay, I tried to avoid the deathly threats that Sam was sending me with her eyes, I opened my sealed mouth again, but with a polite tone... “Yeah, I am sorry for coming all of a sudden to interrupt in... “ But even before I could finish she had cut me off in between my words. “It's okay. I can understand your worries. And don't worry about me, it's just a few steps from here to my home.” Just when she said, I saw her leaving us with a gentle smile on her face, which once again couldn't hide her stunning dimples. This is the first time in my life that I was reluctant to turn away my eyes from someone. As if I am already addicted. Addicted to those dimples. “Who is she?” I asked Sam with utmost curiously, right after when we saw the girl had already gone inside, within a few minutes. “Long story. Let's go home first.” With that, she got on the bike behind me, and I was all ready to take us home as soon as possible. But, if I think, something is not right. I mean, I was super super angry on my way to find Sam, but now, on my way back, I am angry but still, I am happy as well. I know it is confusing. This never happened to me either. I am confused too. You see, How can someone be angry and happy at the same time? Strange right? What could have changed within such a short time? I kept wondering. And the funniest thing was, everything started to seem beautiful to me without any reason, like this cold breeze at night, the old buildings, the long dark road, and even the not so beautiful trees also seemed beautiful to me. Indeed funny. And, I am not drunk, for your kind information. “Her name is Jennifer, by the way.” Sam's voice fell on my ears and I was feeling all goofy from inside all of a sudden, strangely. As if some oblivion was being written for me to stay in that moment. As if someone had spilt the rum in the air, making me drunk in some unfamiliar thoughts. Is it the first stage of insanity? Don't tell me yes! I couldn't even realize when we got back home nor how I came back to my room and now lying on the bed. I even forgot to confront Sam for what she did tonight. The only thing which filled my mind was only a question. Could she be my mate? But then, why couldn't I get her smell, or why couldn't I feel my wolf who should have confirmed my doubts? Isn't she of her age yet? So many questions kept coming and going in my mind, for which I had no answer. So, I already knew that my anxiety was not going to get any better either. For once I even thought of asking Sam about all those tangled thoughts of mine, but then again I remembered that she is just not into this kind of things. Whenever I have asked her about her feelings for mates, every time she answered with her typical words, “It's only you at the end. Finding and being accepted by mates is only luck, so make yourself strong enough that you don't have to depend on any luck.” I often wondered what she would do if she finds her mate unexpectedly after her first shift, when she not at all believes in waiting or finding her mate. I must say, I am quite worried about her, and obviously, I always want the best for her, but how to decide what is good for her or not when she is not even ready to give a chance. I won't wrong her though, cause she has enough reasons to act like such. But still. I know her the most. Even when she acts all strong and steady, she is soft and fragile from inside. And that's why she deserves to be loved. She needs her mate the most, to bring her out of her own dark world. I wondered who her mate could be. As there is not much time left from her first shift, after which she could find her mate, or else she could be founded. In the middle of the night, unnecessary thoughts occupied my mind, taking away all the peace that I used to have before, while announcing the fact that sleep was not going to come any time soon. Tsk. I went straight to the kitchen to have some late-night snacks to stop my non-stop growling stomach. Yes, I forgot to have dinner,
only because I was worried that Sam didn't come back home. “I should make something, instead.” I said to myself, as I realized that it was not only me who didn't do dinner tonight. So, I grabbed two packets of instant noodles, after putting the water up for boiling, and in no time... The incredible creation of Kaith the great was lying before my eyes. Yeah yeah I know, I am a great cook. “Sam!!! If you are up then come have a late-night dinner. I made noodles for us.” Yes, I stressed on the last words. But to my surprise, she didn't answer. Is she already asleep? No, she can't be, cause if so, that would be a very very rare case. You know, she can't sleep easily, and as far as I know, she mostly sleeps before dawn only to wake up in a few hours to start the day. “Sam!!! I know you are not sleeping, and I won't yell st you anymore. So come out now. Or I will eat the noodles all by myself.” I believed she would definitely come out rushing as soon as I said the words. But, no. She didn't. And it was the exact moment when I felt something was definitely wrong, as suspicions had already started to jolt in my mind. Moments passed but still, she didn't come out, so I stood up to go and see what the most important thing in the world she was doing. “Sam???” I knocked on her door first, hoping that she might answer this time. Again my assumptions failed miserably. I was left with no reason not to barge into her room, so I pushed open the door widely, only to widen my eyes in utter shock. What the fuck? Where is she? Yes, I was standing at her room but everything before my eyes were lying cold as it was before, while Sam was nowhere to be seen. Ughh.... Where could she go now? If no one, I would definitely kill her one day. Fuck.

  Episode 10

  Summer's P.O.V

  No, I could not sleep. Once again.

  Pinching my nose bridge due to a mild headache, I sat up on the bed and the first thing that my eyes looked for, was the dark vastness beyond the glass window of my room which was compelling me to go out and unite as a part of the emptiness of this cold night.

  And so did I.

  A sudden cold breeze rushed in my room just when I slid the window up only to accept the invitation of the void out there. No, the chilled wind could not freeze my already frozen heart further, as I started to climb up to the roof slowly.

  Everything in the surrounding seemed a bit smaller from up here, as I saw all the houses, trees, the empty streets and everything else was sleeping peacefully under the dark night sky.

  I looked up only to realized that even the stars have voided to twinkle its starlight upon us.

  No, not us. It is only me, who is that unfortunate.

  I was sitting on the roof for long, engulfed with my loneliness while several thoughts kept crossing my mind every now and then for no particular reasons. But still, I was feeling like I am not caged at least.

  A loud sound of shutting the front door of my house pulled me out of all those needles thoughts that I was involved with, just before I saw Kaith was rushing out to get the bike.

  Realizing that it was past midnight, I wondered where he was going at this hour and that too with such a rush?

  “Hey! Where are you going?” I shouted from the rooftop which made Kaith stop on his track but still it seemed that he couldn't get from where my voice was coming, as I saw him looking around in confusion.

  “I am up here. The roof.” Just when I said he could finally spot me and made his way up towards the roof as well in no time.

  “What? I thought you were in some kind of hurry? Weren't you going somewhere?” I couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, as I saw Kaith was no more intended to go out and settled himself beside me lazily.

  “No, I was going out to look for you again because when I went to your room to ask you for dinner, you know what happened?” He asked raising his eyebrows up a bit.

  “What?” As soon as I asked the very word he made me realize why he was reacting like this, as he said,

  “I was greeted with an empty room which was enough reason for me to freak out. Isn't it Sam?”

  I sighed, only to let the silence creep in as neither of us talked for a while, keeping our sight straight on nothing but the emptiness of the air.

  “What would you do if you find your mate one day?” I asked out of the blue, taking Kaith off guard, and causing him to look into my eyes for quite a while.

  I wondered if I had just asked something dumb or not.

  “What would you do, Sam? You know the time is not so far when you would be turning for the first time. Right? And after which you can be found by your destined one. What would you do then?” Kaith's words made me absolutely clueless just when something inside me stirred all of a sudden which I had buried within me for a long time.

  At least I thought so.

  But it is always better to avoid each and every possibility to get hurt, so I decided to ignore it once again.

  “What is it like? Does it pain a lot?” I asked in a low voice and leaned my body backwards to sit in a comfortable way.

  “What? I don't know. I didn't find my mate yet, you know that.” A little awkwardness might have trapped Kaith in an instant, as he answered me back, rubbing his neck in a clumsy way.

  And I knew why he was feeling all embarrassed. Because he had mistaken my question for something else, that only Kaith could think off.

  “I wasn't asking about mating, you dumbass.” I uttered with a tight spank for his nasty thoughts.

  “Ahh, then what?” Rubbing his back where I had just hit him, he enquired keeping his impatient eyes on me.

  “The shifting, obviously, what else?” My words made him relaxed than before as his one big sigh confirmed so.

  “Yes, during the first time, it would hurt like crazy. But you will survive, everyone does, so did I.

  And with time, changing shapes won't cause you pain anymore.” He paused for a while to look at me with concern only to comfort me with his words again, saying,

  “ Don't worry. I will always be with you. And together we will go through this, ... You won't be alone Sam.”

  Though Kaith's words indeed lessened my anxiety for the time being, still something caused me to fear about the coming future.

  “Oh shit. I had made noodles for us. It is probably all ruined by now. Tsk, I was hungry you know? Really.” He stood up all of a sudden to jump down from the roof and waited for me to do the same.

  I sighed as I followed him inside as well.

  Today was a long day.

  And I already knew that tomorrow will be even longer when I have to go through the same routine all over again giving myself each and every reason about why my life is all meaningless.

  Yes, the same school, the same rival faces, the same fight and the same everything else.

  It is my life, and it will be the same.

  At least I thought so.

  .

  .

  .

  Time had passed ever so slowly just like a tortoise. Every day I had to deal with all those things that I never deserved.

  But, Kaith was always with me as he had promised, even when I had my first shift on my birthday.

  No, I must say there is another one who is becoming even closer day by day.

  Yes, Jenny.

  And I am glad to have her as my friend.

  Kaith also likes her very much and I know, even though they don't acknowledge but they do have a huge crush for each other.

  Anyway,

  Except them, nobody bothers anything about me, so I guess, others don't even know that now I have my wolf. Or maybe because I made sure of that right after I had shifted.

  You can call it fear or whatever. But I did that anyway.

  Yes.

  I am always trying to hide. No matter where I go or where I stay, like at the school, at the pack, at my workplace, everywhere. Cause I don't know what I would do if I got found by my mate who turns out to be one of my haters as well. And I know that the possibility of it is at its highest.

  Cause, you see, everyone hates me.

  So, it is better to stay hidden, always.

  And i
n that case, Kaith helped me a lot, whether knowingly or unknowingly, but he did anyway.

  You must be wondering how, right?

  See, it is only the smell that could make us realize who is our mate exactly, except through touching each other. So, it was easy for me to cover up my smell with Kaith's as he never minded to lend me his dresses.

  Easy.

  No worries at all.

  And my days were back to usual once again.

  .

  .